9 Reasons To Watch The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2013

A Couple of Quick Reasons To Tune Into Surfing's Longest Running Major Comp

1. Last Year's Final

Watch this video. Remember the best heat of last year, one of the best finals in history. And get excited. That is all.

2. The Beginnings of A Title Race

Bells is generally where a Title Race is created, and where the form surfers for the year are defined, but the battle between Kelly, Mick and Parko has already begun. The question is, who will join them? And who will be no.1 come event's end?

3. One Year Since The Passing of MP

On the 29th of March it will be exactly one year since the death of Michael Peterson, a surfing legend and icon of surfing at Bells in the 70s (winner in 73, 74 and 75). Last year they paid tribute to the legend just before the final when everyone stood and clapped continuously for one minute. Those that were there will tell you it was an extremely special moment. This year word is that they will be spreading his ashes out to sea from the Bells headland.

4. The Girls (Sally's Possible Three-Peat)

Sally Fitz has won two Bells trophies in a row, three will make her name synonymous with Women's surfing at Bells forever (if she isn't already) and will be a very significant achievement. Standing in her way are two World Champions in Stephanie Gilmore and Carissa Moore who has returned to the form that saw her dominate 2011. And then there's Tyler Wright who has truly come of age after her win at The Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast and her second place finish at Margaret River. In the early parts of 2013 she has become the surfer to beat on the women's side of the draw. Whichever way it turns, these four surfers are making Women's surfing the most exciting it's ever been.

5. The Wildcards.

Oney Anwar from Lakey Peak in Sumbawa, but now based on the Gold Coast, is the first Indonesian to win an ASP Pro Junior event. He could likely be the first Indonesian to qualify for the World Tour, Bells will give him a taste of that and an indication of how much more work he has to do. Nikki Van Dijk is the World Junior Champ. Surfing in her home-state at Bells for the fourth time, she's ready to take it the next level and could surprise everyone by going a lot further than a wildcard should. And then there's Jacob Willcox, a fifteen year old from Margarets who got the call up at the last minute following his impressive performance at The Drug Aware Margaret River Pro, and the injury withdrawal of a couple of WCT surfers. 15 at Bells against the likes of Kelly Slater, what an experience that'll be.

6. Rail Surfing

Like Shane Dorian said after his victory in 1999, "No kook has ever won at Bells," that statement can be accrued to type of surfing necessary to win at this event. Classic lines and timeless style will go far, and will make the event home to the sort of surfing loved by surfers of old.

Parko at Bells is something else.

7. Occy's Commentating

Usually locked in for Billabong events, Rip Curl have opened the booth to the famous goofy-footer and we are so so so glad. On top of providing colour and entertainment to a surf broadcast like no-other, Occy is also arguably the best goofy-footer to ever surf Bells. So that's awesome. Other notable inclusions to the event webcast will be the "Foxcopter" which is basically a drone that will be able to fly over the surfers and provide live footage from the sky. Previously used at just last year's KFC T20 Big Bash (cricket) and Fox Sport's NRL coverage, this revolution in surf coverage will provide never before seen angles of Kelly Slater's dome as he rips from Rincon to the Bowl.

The best goofy to ever surf Bells?

8. The Form of Dusty Payne

When Kai Neville's sophmore release, Lost Atlas, hit the surf public it was Dusty Payne's performance that had everyone talking, and it briefly threw him alongside to Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds in debates about who was the best surfer in the world. Briefly. Since then he took his game from free-surfing to competition surfing, qualifying for the tour where a string of injuries and lacklustre performances has plagued his first two years in the big leagues. Slowly but surely, his confidence has been on the rise culminating in the weekend's win at the Prime Event in Margaret River. A win under his belt coming into Bells has him running hot and we may finally get to see Dusty Payne deliver on his incredible potential, and I sure as hell don't want to miss that.